In the days before President Joe Biden made his historic trip to Kyiv to support Ukrainian defenders, the Russian military conducted an unsuccessful test of its new RS-28 Sarmat intercontinental ballistic missile, CBS News reports, the latest embarrassment for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Known as the Satan II, the 200-ton missile had a successful test touted by Putin in April 2022. The United States had been advised of the test, a provision of the New START Treaty that Putin would announce Russia’s suspension of just days later during the Kremlin’s version of the State of the Union address.
Details of how the test failed were not disclosed. According to Russian propagandists, the Satan II has a very rapid initial stage, making it harder for missile trackers to pick up. It also has a ten-ton total payload, ten-warhead lift capability.